Prospective Bidirectional Relationship Between Sleep Duration and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms After Suspected Acute Coronary Syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Sleep disturbance is a "hallmark" symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Poor sleep (including short sleep) after combat-related trauma can also predict subsequent PTSD. Less is known about the association between sleep duration and PTSD symptoms when PTSD is induced by acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We examined the bidirectional relationship between sleep duration and PTSD symptoms over the year after hospital evaluation for ACS. METHODS: Participants were enrolled in this observational study after emergency department evaluation for ACS. Sleep duration ("During the past month, how many hours of actual sleep did you get at night?") and cardiac event or hospitalization-induced PTSD symptoms (PTSD Checklist) were assessed at 1, 6, and 12 months after hospital discharge. Cross-lagged path analysis was used to model the effects of sleep duration and PTSD symptoms on each other. Covariates included age, sex, race/ethnicity, cardiac severity, baseline depression symptoms, and early acute stress disorder symptoms. RESULTS: The sample included 1145 participants; 16% screened positive for probable PTSD (PTSD Checklist score ≥33). Mean sleep duration across time points was 6.1 hours. Higher PTSD symptoms predicted shorter sleep duration at the next time point (i.e., 1-6 and 6-12 months; B = -0.14 hours/10-point difference, SE = 0.03, p < .001). Shorter sleep duration was associated with higher PTSD symptoms at the next time point (B = -0.25 points/hour, SE = 0.12, p = .04). CONCLUSIONS: Short sleep duration and PTSD symptoms are mutually reinforcing across the first year after ACS evaluation. Findings suggest that sleep, PTSD symptoms, and their relationship should be considered in the post-ACS period.

Association of Serum Aldosterone and Plasma Renin Activity With Ambulatory Blood Pressure in African Americans: The Jackson Heart Study.

BACKGROUND: The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) is an important driver of blood pressure (BP), but the association of the RAAS with ambulatory BP (ABP) and ABP monitoring phenotypes among African Americans has not been assessed. METHODS: ABP and ABP monitoring phenotypes were assessed in 912 Jackson Heart Study participants with aldosterone and plasma renin activity (PRA). Multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses were used to analyze the association of aldosterone and PRA with clinic, awake, and asleep systolic BP and diastolic BP (DBP) and ABP monitoring phenotypes, adjusting for important confounders. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 59±11 years and 69% were female. In fully adjusted models, lower log-PRA was associated with higher clinic, awake, and asleep systolic BP and DBP (all P<0.05). A higher log-aldosterone was associated with higher clinic, awake, and asleep DBP (all P<0.05). A 1-unit higher log-PRA was associated with lower odds of daytime hypertension (odds ratio [OR] 0.59 [95% CI, 0.49-0.71]), nocturnal hypertension (OR, 0.68 [95% CI, 0.58-0.79]), daytime and nocturnal hypertension (OR, 0.59 [95% CI, 0.48-0.71]), sustained hypertension (OR, 0.52 [95% CI, 0.39-0.70]), and masked hypertension (OR 0.75 [95% CI, 0.62-0.90]). A 1-unit higher log-aldosterone was associated with higher odds of nocturnal hypertension (OR, 1.38 [95% CI, 1.05-1.81]). Neither PRA nor aldosterone was associated with percent dipping, nondipping BP pattern, or white-coat hypertension. Patterns for aldosterone:renin ratio were similar to patterns for PRA. CONCLUSIONS: Suppressed renin activity and higher aldosterone:renin ratios were associated with higher systolic BP and DBP in the office and during the awake and asleep periods as evidenced by ABP monitoring. Higher aldosterone levels were associated with higher DBP, but not systolic BP, in the clinic and during the awake and asleep periods. Further clinical investigation of novel and approved medications that target low renin physiology such as epithelial sodium channel inhibitors and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists may be paramount in improving hypertension control in African Americans.

Racial and Ethnic Differences in Presentation and Outcomes for Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19: Findings From the American Heart Association's COVID-19 Cardiovascular Disease Registry.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has exposed longstanding racial and ethnic inequities in health risks and outcomes in the United States. We aimed to identify racial and ethnic differences in presentation and outcomes for patients hospitalized with COVID-19. METHODS: The American Heart Association COVID-19 Cardiovascular Disease Registry is a retrospective observational registry capturing consecutive patients hospitalized with COVID-19. We present data on the first 7868 patients by race/ethnicity treated at 88 hospitals across the United States between January 17, 2020, and July 22, 2020. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included major adverse cardiovascular events (death, myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure) and COVID-19 cardiorespiratory ordinal severity score (worst to best: death, cardiac arrest, mechanical ventilation with mechanical circulatory support, mechanical ventilation with vasopressors/inotrope support, mechanical ventilation without hemodynamic support, and hospitalization alone. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the relationship between race/ethnicity and each outcome adjusting for differences in sociodemographic, clinical, and presentation features, and accounting for clustering by hospital. RESULTS: Among 7868 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, 33.0% were Hispanic, 25.5% were non-Hispanic Black, 6.3% were Asian, and 35.2% were non-Hispanic White. Hispanic and Black patients were younger than non-Hispanic White and Asian patients and were more likely to be uninsured. Black patients had the highest prevalence of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. Black patients also had the highest rates of mechanical ventilation (23.2%) and renal replacement therapy (6.6%) but the lowest rates of remdesivir use (6.1%). Overall mortality was 18.4% with 53% of all deaths occurring in Black and Hispanic patients. The adjusted odds ratios for mortality were 0.93 (95% CI, 0.76-1.14) for Black patients, 0.90 (95% CI, 0.73-1.11) for Hispanic patients, and 1.31 (95% CI, 0.96-1.80) for Asian patients compared with non-Hispanic White patients. The median odds ratio across hospitals was 1.99 (95% CI, 1.74-2.48). Results were similar for major adverse cardiovascular events. Asian patients had the highest COVID-19 cardiorespiratory severity at presentation (adjusted odds ratio, 1.48 [95% CI, 1.16-1.90]). CONCLUSIONS: Although in-hospital mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events did not differ by race/ethnicity after adjustment, Black and Hispanic patients bore a greater burden of mortality and morbidity because of their disproportionate representation among COVID-19 hospitalizations.

Association of plasma endothelin-1 with blood pressure progression among Blacks: The Jackson Heart Study.

BACKGROUND: Despite pathophysiological links between endothelin (ET)-1 and hypertension in Black adults, there is no population-based data appraising the association of plasma ET-1 with longitudinal blood pressure (BP) changes in Blacks. METHODS: We analyzed data from 1197 Jackson Heart Study participants without hypertension (mean age 47.8 years [SD: 12.0]; 64.2% women), with plasma ET-1 available at the baseline examination (2000-2004). Poisson regression with robust variance was used to generate risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of BP progression (an increase by ≥1 BP category based on the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association classification) and incident hypertension (BP ≥ 130/80 mm Hg or use of antihypertensive medication) at follow-up (2005-2008 or 2009-2013). RESULTS: Over a median follow-up of 7 years (range: 4-11), 71.2% (n = 854) progressed to a higher BP stage and 64.6% (n = 773) developed hypertension. After adjusting for possible confounders, each unit increment in baseline log (ET-1) was associated with higher risks of BP progression (RR 1.15 [95% CI 1.03-1.29], P = .016) and incident hypertension (RR 1.15 [95% CI 1.01-1.31], P = .032). Compared to those in the lowest ET-1 quartile, participants in the highest quartile had significantly higher risks of BP progression (RR 1.20 [95% CI 1.05-1.37], P = .007) and incident hypertension (RR 1.16 [95% CI 1.00-1.36], P = .052). CONCLUSIONS: In a large, community-based sample of African Americans, higher plasma ET-1 concentrations were associated with higher risks of BP progression and incident hypertension.

Association Between Sleep Apnea and Blood Pressure Control Among Blacks.

BACKGROUND: Blacks have a high prevalence of hypertension and uncontrolled blood pressure (BP), each of which may be partially explained by untreated sleep apnea. We investigated the association of sleep apnea with uncontrolled BP and resistant hypertension in blacks. METHODS: Between 2012 and 2016, Jackson Heart Sleep Study participants (N=913) underwent an in-home Type 3 sleep apnea study, clinic BP measurements, and anthropometry. Moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was defined as a respiratory event index ≥15, and nocturnal hypoxemia was quantified as percent sleep time with <90% oxyhemoglobin saturation. Prevalent hypertension was defined as either a systolic BP ≥130 mm Hg or diastolic BP >80mm Hg, use of antihypertensive medication, or self-report of a diagnosis of hypertension. Controlled BP was defined as systolic BP <130 mm Hg and diastolic BP <80 mm Hg; uncontrolled BP as systolic BP ≥130 mm Hg or diastolic BP ≥80 mm Hg with use of 1 to 2 classes of antihypertensive medication; and resistant BP as systolic BP ≥130 mm Hg or diastolic BP ≥80 mm Hg with the use of ≥3 classes of antihypertensive medication (including a diuretic) or use of ≥4 classes of antihypertensive medication regardless of BP level. Multinomial logistic regression models were fit to determine the association between OSA severity and uncontrolled BP or resistant hypertension (versus controlled BP) after multivariable adjustment. RESULTS: The analytic sample with hypertension (N=664) had a mean age of 64.0 (SD,10.6) years, and were predominately female (69.1%), obese (58.6%), and college educated (51.3%). Among the sample, 25.7% had OSA, which was untreated in 94% of participants. Overall, 48% of participants had uncontrolled hypertension and 14% had resistant hypertension. After adjustment for confounders, participants with moderate or severe OSA had a 2.0 times higher odds of resistant hypertension (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14-3.67). Each standard deviation higher than <90% oxyhemoglobin saturation was associated with an adjusted odds ratio for resistant hypertension of 1.25 (95% CI 1.01-1.55). OSA and <90% oxyhemoglobin saturation were not associated with uncontrolled BP. CONCLUSION: Untreated moderate or severe OSA is associated with increased odds of resistant hypertension. These results suggest that untreated OSA may contribute to inadequate BP control in blacks.

The cardiac intensive care unit and the cardiac intensivist during the COVID-19 surge in New York City.

Critical care cardiology has been impacted by the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. COVID-19 causes severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute kidney injury, as well as several cardiovascular complications including myocarditis, venous thromboembolic disease, cardiogenic shock, and cardiac arrest. The cardiac intensive care unit is rapidly evolving as the need for critical care beds increases. Herein, we describe the changes to the cardiac intensive care unit and the evolving role of critical care cardiologists and other clinicians in the care of these complex patients affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. These include practical recommendations regarding structural and organizational changes to facilitate care of patients with COVID-19; staffing and personnel changes; and health and safety of personnel. We draw upon our own experiences at NewYork-Presbyterian Columbia University Irving Medical Center to offer insights into the unique challenges facing critical care clinicians and provide recommendations of how to address these challenges during this unprecedented time.

Short Sleep Duration After Hospital Evaluation for Acute Coronary Syndrome Is Associated With Increased Risk of 6-Month Readmission.

OBJECTIVE: Hospital readmission after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is associated with worsened patient outcomes and financial burden. Short sleep duration is a risk factor for cardiovascular events and may therefore represent a behavioral factor that increases risk of adverse posthospitalization outcomes. This study examined whether short sleep duration in the month after hospital evaluation for ACS is associated with 6-month all-cause emergency department (ED) and hospital readmission. METHODS: The current analyses entail a secondary analysis of a larger prospective observational cohort study. Sleep duration during the month after hospital evaluation for ACS was assessed subjectively and dichotomized as short (<6 hours) or not short (≥6 hours). A Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the association between short sleep duration during the month after ACS hospital evaluation and 6-month all-cause ED/hospital readmission. RESULTS: A total of 576 participants with complete data were included in analyses. Approximately 34% of participants reported short sleep duration during the month after ACS evaluation. Short sleep duration was significantly associated with 6-month all-cause ED/hospital readmission (hazard ratio = 2.03; 95% confidence interval = 1.12-3.66) in the model adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, clinical severity, cardiac and renal markers, depression, acute stress, and including a sleep duration by ACS status interaction. CONCLUSIONS: Short sleep duration after ACS hospital evaluation is prevalent and is associated with increased risk of all-cause readmission within 6 months of discharge. Current findings suggest that short sleep duration is an important modifiable behavioral factor to consider after hospital evaluation for ACS.

Occupational standing and change in the Ankle-Brachial Index: the Jackson Heart Study.

BACKGROUND: A growing interest in reducing occupational sitting has resulted in public health efforts to encourage intermittent standing in workplaces. However, concerns have been raised that standing for prolonged periods may expose individuals to new health hazards, including lower limb atherosclerosis. These concerns have yet to be corroborated or refuted. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between occupational standing and adverse changes in the Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI). METHODS: We studied 2121 participants from the Jackson Heart Study, a single-site community-based study of African-Americans residing in Jackson, MS. Occupational standing ('never/seldom', 'sometimes', 'often/always') was self-reported at baseline (2000-2004). ABI was measured at baseline and again at follow-up (2009-2013). RESULTS: Over a median follow-up of 8 years, 247 participants (11.6%) exhibited a significant decline in ABI (eg, ABI decline >0.15). In multivariable-adjusted models, higher occupational standing was not significantly associated with ABI decline (occupational standing sometimes vs never/seldom: OR 1.05; 95% CI 0.67, 1.66; occupational standing often/always vs never/seldom: OR 1.22; 95% CI 0.77, 1.94). Similarly, higher occupational standing was not associated with low ABI at follow-up reflective of peripheral artery disease (ABI <0.90) or high ABI at follow-up reflective of incompressible vessels (ABI >1.40). CONCLUSIONS: In this community-based study of African-Americans, we found no evidence that occupational standing is deleteriously associated with adverse changes in ABI over a median follow-up of 8.0 years. These findings do not provide evidence implicating occupational standing as a risk factor for lower limb atherosclerosis.

Masked Hypertension: Whom and How to Screen?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review issues regarding the practical implementation of screening strategies for masked hypertension. RECENT FINDINGS: Masked hypertension has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease events and all-cause mortality. Recent guidelines have encouraged practitioners to use out-of-clinic monitoring to detect masked hypertension in some situations. However, it is unclear from these guidelines who should be screened or how to best measure out-of-office blood pressure. In this review, challenges to screening strategies for masked hypertension, and factors that should be considered when deciding to screen using ambulatory or home blood pressure monitoring. Masked hypertension is an important clinical phenotype to detect. Future research is needed in order to develop optimal screening strategies, and to understand population level implications of using ambulatory or home blood pressure monitoring on blood pressure control.

Sleep Duration and Blood Pressure: Recent Advances and Future Directions.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review discusses the recent literature on subjectively and objectively assessed sleep duration in relation to hypertension risk and out-of-clinic blood pressure (BP) measures and highlights critical areas for future research. RECENT FINDINGS: Sleep duration, particularly short sleep, may influence BP through disturbed autonomic balance, hormonal imbalances, increased adiposity and metabolic dysfunction, and disrupted circadian rhythms. Observational studies indicate that short and long sleep are associated with hypertension risk, reduced nocturnal dipping, and elevated morning BP, but evidence is stronger for short sleep. Experimental sleep restriction increases BP, while sleep extension may lower BP in prehypertensive individuals. Women and racial/ethnic minorities are more prone to the detrimental effects of short sleep on BP. Additional studies are warranted to clarify the association of objectively assessed sleep with BP level and diurnal pattern and to determine the sex- and race-specific effects of sleep restriction and extension on BP.

Thresholds for Ambulatory Blood Pressure Among African Americans in the Jackson Heart Study.

BACKGROUND: Ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring is the reference standard for out-of-clinic BP measurement. Thresholds for identifying ambulatory hypertension (daytime systolic BP [SBP]/diastolic BP [DBP] ≥135/85 mm Hg, 24-hour SBP/DBP ≥130/80 mm Hg, and nighttime SBP/DBP ≥120/70 mm Hg) have been derived from European, Asian, and South American populations. We determined BP thresholds for ambulatory hypertension in a US population-based sample of African American adults. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Jackson Heart Study, a population-based cohort study comprised exclusively of African American adults (n=5306). Analyses were restricted to 1016 participants who completed ambulatory BP monitoring at baseline in 2000 to 2004. Mean SBP and DBP levels were calculated for daytime (10:00 am-8:00 pm), 24-hour (all available readings), and nighttime (midnight-6:00 am) periods, separately. Daytime, 24-hour, and nighttime BP thresholds for ambulatory hypertension were identified using regression- and outcome-derived approaches. The composite of a cardiovascular disease or an all-cause mortality event was used in the outcome-derived approach. For this latter approach, BP thresholds were identified only for SBP because clinic DBP was not associated with the outcome. Analyses were stratified by antihypertensive medication use. RESULTS: Among participants not taking antihypertensive medication, the regression-derived thresholds for daytime, 24-hour, and nighttime SBP/DBP corresponding to clinic SBP/DBP of 140/90 mm Hg were 134/85 mm Hg, 130/81 mm Hg, and 123/73 mm Hg, respectively. The outcome-derived thresholds for daytime, 24-hour, and nighttime SBP corresponding to a clinic SBP ≥140 mm Hg were 138 mm Hg, 134 mm Hg, and 129 mm Hg, respectively. Among participants taking antihypertensive medication, the regression-derived thresholds for daytime, 24-hour, and nighttime SBP/DBP corresponding to clinic SBP/DBP of 140/90 mm Hg were 135/85 mm Hg, 133/82 mm Hg, and 128/76 mm Hg, respectively. The corresponding outcome-derived thresholds for daytime, 24-hour, and nighttime SBP were 140 mm Hg, 137 mm Hg, and 133 mm Hg, respectively, among those taking antihypertensive medication. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of the outcome-derived approach for SBP and regression-derived approach for DBP, the following definitions for daytime, 24-hour, and nighttime hypertension corresponding to clinic SBP/DBP ≥140/90 mm Hg are proposed for African American adults: daytime SBP/DBP ≥140/85 mm Hg, 24-hour SBP/DBP ≥135/80 mm Hg, and nighttime SBP/DBP ≥130/75 mm Hg, respectively.

An Update on Masked Hypertension.

Masked hypertension refers to the phenomenon of having a non-elevated clinic blood pressure (BP) despite having an elevated out-of-clinic BP. Masked hypertension is a common phenotype with a cardiovascular risk profile similar to that of sustained hypertension, defined as elevated clinic and out-of-clinic BP. Current guidelines offer little guidance on the best practices for detecting and treating masked hypertension. This is in part due to insufficient evidence upon which to base recommendations as many questions remain regarding the optimal clinical management of masked hypertension. In this review, we will discuss the recent literature on masked hypertension related to disease prevalence, diagnosis, screening strategies, adverse outcomes, and treatment, and will highlight critical areas for future research.

Ambulatory monitoring demonstrates an acute association between cookstove-related carbon monoxide and blood pressure in a Ghanaian cohort.

BACKGROUND: Repeated exposure to household air pollution may intermittently raise blood pressure (BP) and affect cardiovascular outcomes. We investigated whether hourly carbon monoxide (CO) exposures were associated with acute increases in ambulatory blood pressure (ABP); and secondarily, if switching to an improved cookstove was associated with BP changes. We also evaluated the feasibility of using 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in a cohort of pregnant women in Ghana. METHODS: Participants were 44 women enrolled in the Ghana Randomized Air Pollution and Health Study (GRAPHS). For 27 of the women, BP was measured using 24-h ABPM; home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) was used to measure BP in the remaining 17 women. Personal CO exposure monitoring was conducted alongside the BP monitoring. RESULTS: ABPM revealed that peak CO exposure (defined as ≥4.1 ppm) in the 2 hours prior to BP measurement was associated with elevations in hourly systolic BP (4.3 mmHg [95% CI: 1.1, 7.4]) and diastolic BP (4.5 mmHg [95% CI: 1.9, 7.2]), as compared to BP following lower CO exposures. Women receiving improved cookstoves had lower post-intervention SBP (within-subject change in SBP of -2.1 mmHg [95% CI: -6.6, 2.4] as compared to control), though this result did not reach statistical significance. 98.1% of expected 24-h ABPM sessions were successfully completed, with 92.5% of them valid according to internationally defined criteria. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate an association between acute exposure to carbon monoxide and transient increases in BP in a West African setting. ABPM shows promise as an outcome measure for assessing cardiovascular health benefits of cookstove interventions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The GRAPHS trial was registered with clinicaltrials.gov on 13 April 2011 with the identifier NCT01335490 .

Role of Ambulatory and Home Blood Pressure Monitoring in Clinical Practice: A Narrative Review.

Hypertension, a common risk factor for cardiovascular disease, is usually diagnosed and treated based on blood pressure readings obtained in the clinic setting. Blood pressure may differ considerably when measured inside versus outside of the clinic setting. Over the past several decades, evidence has accumulated on the following 2 approaches for measuring blood pressure outside of the clinic: ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM). Both of these methods have a stronger association with cardiovascular disease outcomes than clinic blood pressure measurement. Controversy exists about whether ABPM or HBPM is superior for estimating risk for cardiovascular disease and under what circumstances these methods should be used in clinical practice for assessing blood pressure outside of the clinic. This review describes ABPM and HBPM procedures, the blood pressure phenotypic measurements that can be ascertained, and the evidence that supports the use of each approach to measuring blood pressure outside of the clinic. It also describes barriers to the successful implementation of ABPM and HBPM in clinical practice, proposes core competencies for the conduct of these procedures, and highlights important areas for future research.

Transforming Hypertension Diagnosis and Management in The Era of Artificial Intelligence: A 2023 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Workshop Report.

Hypertension is among the most important risk factors for cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and dementia. The artificial intelligence (AI) field is advancing quickly, and there has been little discussion on how AI could be leveraged for improving the diagnosis and management of hypertension. AI technologies, including machine learning tools, could alter the way we diagnose and manage hypertension, with potential impacts for improving individual and population health. The development of successful AI tools in public health and health care systems requires diverse types of expertise with collaborative relationships between clinicians, engineers, and data scientists. Unbiased data sources, management, and analyses remain a foundational challenge. From a diagnostic standpoint, machine learning tools may improve the measurement of blood pressure and be useful in the prediction of incident hypertension. To advance the management of hypertension, machine learning tools may be useful to find personalized treatments for patients using analytics to predict response to antihypertension medications and the risk for hypertension-related complications. However, there are real-world implementation challenges to using AI tools in hypertension. Herein, we summarize key findings from a diverse group of stakeholders who participated in a workshop held by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in March 2023. Workshop participants presented information on communication gaps between clinical medicine, data science, and engineering in health care; novel approaches to estimating BP, hypertension risk, and BP control; and real-world implementation challenges and issues.

Impact of early telemedicine follow-up on 30-Day hospital readmissions.

INTRODUCTION: Telemedicine is increasing in popularity but the impact of this shift on patient outcomes has not been well described. Prior data has shown that early post-discharge office visits can reduce readmissions. However, it is unknown if routine use of telemedicine visits for this purpose is similarly beneficial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational study using electronic health records data to assess if the rate of 30-day hospital readmissions differed between modality of visit for primary care or cardiology post-discharge follow-up visits. RESULTS: Compared to discharges with completed in-person follow-up visits, the adjusted odds of readmission for those with telemedicine follow-up visits was not significantly different (odds ratio [OR] 0.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.61 to 1.51, P = 0.86). CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that 30-day readmission rate did not differ significantly according to the modality of visit. These results provide reassurance that telemedicine visits are a safe and viable alternative for primary care or cardiology post-hospitalization follow-up.

Implementation Strategies to Improve Blood Pressure Control in the United States: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association and American Medical Association.

Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors that contribute to incident cardiovascular events. A multitude of US and international hypertension guidelines, scientific statements, and policy statements have recommended evidence-based approaches for hypertension management and improved blood pressure (BP) control. These recommendations are based largely on high-quality observational and randomized controlled trial data. However, recent published data demonstrate troubling temporal trends with declining BP control in the United States after decades of steady improvements. Therefore, there is a widening disconnect between what hypertension experts recommend and actual BP control in practice. This scientific statement provides information on the implementation strategies to optimize hypertension management and to improve BP control among adults in the United States. Key approaches include antiracism efforts, accurate BP measurement and increased use of self-measured BP monitoring, team-based care, implementation of policies and programs to facilitate lifestyle change, standardized treatment protocols using team-based care, improvement of medication acceptance and adherence, continuous quality improvement, financial strategies, and large-scale dissemination and implementation. Closing the gap between scientific evidence, expert recommendations, and achieving BP control, particularly among disproportionately affected populations, is urgently needed to improve cardiovascular health.

Use of Different Blood Pressure Thresholds to Reduce the Number of Home Blood Pressure Monitoring Days Needed for Detecting Hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Home blood pressure (BP) monitoring over a 7-day period is recommended to confirm the diagnosis of hypertension. METHODS: We determined upper and lower home BP thresholds with >90% positive predictive value and >90% negative predictive value using 1 to 6 days of monitoring to identify high home BP (systolic BP ≥130 mm Hg or diastolic BP ≥80 mm Hg) based on 7 days of home BP monitoring. The sample included 361 adults from the Improving the Detection of Hypertension Study who were not taking antihypertensive medication. We used two 7-day periods, at least 3 days apart, the first being a sampling period and the second a reference period. For each number of days in the sampling period, we determined the percentage of participants who had a high likelihood of having (>90% positive predictive value) or not having (>90% negative predictive value) high BP and would not need to continue home BP monitoring. Only the participants in an uncertain category (ie, positive predictive value ≤90% and negative predictive value ≤90%) after each day were carried forward to the next day of home BP monitoring. RESULTS: Of the 361 participants (mean [SD] age of 41.3 [13.2] years; 60.4% women), 38.0% had high home BP during the reference period. There were 63.7%, 17.1%, 10.5%, 3.3%, 3.6%, and 1.4% participants who would not need to continue after 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 days of monitoring. CONCLUSIONS: In most people, high home BP can be identified or excluded with a high degree of confidence with 3 days or less of monitoring.